I remember this case. The prosecution didn't just make a bad decision when they pursued these parents ... they were downright evil. And, I mean that with every ounce of emotion the word evil implies.
This was an outrage to pursue these parents after such a tragedy, and I will suggest to you that it is exactly the same kind of emotional illogic that now dogs honest gun owners.
I was an amateur herpetologist during college and in my 20's. I've owned quite a few snakes. The defendant's herpetologist expert was right on the money. Imagine a 7 foot, 10 pound snake killing a 3-year-old boy ... that would not be a small child. This is nearly inconceivable, and would be literally inconceivable if it had not happened.
The African Rock Python reaches a record length of 32 feet. Now, 7 feet and 10 pounds may seem like a big snake, but it really isn't. And, relative to its species, this was a small specimen.
Those parents will never forgive themseves, and they pay the heavist price everyday for an almost inconceivable accident. But, this was an event tantamount to having a child killed in an auto accident, even though belted in properly.
I hope there is a special place in hell for fools in our system that torture parents in this manner. Prosecutors like this should be shunned, and they should be pursuing other lines of work. Good taste prevents me from offering a few suggestions ...
